Costumes these days...

[tantraman]

Does anyone else feel ripped off with the costumes these last few years, in Spirit, or walmart, Target, etc. It seems like the creativity is getting worse and worse. Specialty the Halloween stores. WE have decided to make our own costumes. What is your guys thoughts on this. ALSO the decorations are a little cra cra as well.

[Murfreesboro]

I haven't bought costumes for a long time, though I don't do anything too difficult, either. This year I am going to costume as Day of the Dead. I have a skirt and blouse that look Mexican to me, and a black crocheted shawl I actually bought in Mexico City years ago. I have bought the face paint and I am going for it.

My daughter is likely the only one of my three kids who is going to costume, and she has a couple of choices. She could go '50s teenager (a costume she had for a school variety show in Sept.), or she could go Goth (a character she is playing in a murder mystery party tomorrow night). She found the poodle skirt and pink top at a thrift store, and the Goth look is mostly about make-up along with her own black clothes.

[johnsoneliza52]

I normally always make our costumes, but I did buy the standard Beetlejuice black and white suit for the husband this year. I toyed with making it, but it seemed a little daunting, at least to make it look right, so I caved. It is a ripoff though. Might as well be made of tissue paper, but, oh well. I think homemade costumes are the best!

[Murfreesboro]

I am not a seamstress, but I did enjoy sewing Halloween costumes for my three kids when they were younger. You are right, the store-bought ones are quite flimsy. I suppose if you pay for high-end stuff at a real costume shop they are better.

[The Duchess]

I used to have my costumes made by my costumer. Back in the mid to late 90's prices wee reasonable.

My George Washington outfit cost me $600. Today to replace the coat only would be between $800 to $1200.



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Purchasing store costumes can be frustrating with them being at times somewhat cheesy and with limited life.

Since I can't sew I am not a do it your selfer.

I am fortunate that the majority of all of my costumes still fit. By buying different accessories I can become different characters.



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From Mozart to Bach
From French Aristocrat to Vampire
From Charley's Aunt to Granny Lou.

But for new costumes characters today I usually go to resale stores and develop various lady and grandmother type characters.

Real clothing is preferable to some of the pre packaged junk sold in stores.

I find it easier and much less costly to simply costume as a woman.



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Here is me in my latest accessory I received from my reaper on another forum - a fur stole!



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Who knows. One day I might just go as myself!


????????????????????????????????? I guess I should post a picture of the REAL me! LOL!

I suppose you would like to see the "REAL" me out of costume!

And I might win a prize for the best costume!

If I can save $$$$$, I have no objection to wearing dresses, skirts, wigs and makeup!

The Duchess



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[Murfreesboro]

I agree that putting something together out of "real" clothes is the way to go. You can do so much with wigs and make-up, too.

[witchy]

I remember buying an old tattered wedding dress from Goodwill one year, it was very cheap and I went as a dead bride, I came in first place in a costume contest, all it take is a good imagination!! You can find really cool costumes at garage sales and at Goodwill, I wouldn't buy from Halloween store unless it was on sale. I have made some of my costumes in the past but it's cheaper to buy them.

[MauEvig]

I have a nice grim reaper style robe that I bought from Party City a few years back and other than having to stitch it up a little bit, it's actually been a great asset to my costumes. I went as "Death Kitty" a couple years in a row, and the robe also makes a nice witches outfit. This year I'm going to use this really cool glowing skull mask and actually be the grim reaper. My boyfriend's mom sent over a great assortment of costumes and masks to use, which is where I found that mask, and I found a cheaper grim reaper outfit, but I like my grim reaper robe better and this mask, so I'm just going to use the gloves from it to have skeletal fingers.
To complete the outfit, my boyfriend has a real scythe. ^^
Some of the pre-packaged costumes are a bit cheesey, but sometimes you can find a few things you need to complete a costume from another costume kit, especially if it's free or cheap.
Of course, I still have tons of cat ears, and since we're going to be celebrating Halloween this sunday and if I have to work the actual day, I'm just going to put on a pair of cat ears. They said no costumes allowed, but I could wear cat ears and a Halloween themed shirt. So wear cat ears to work I shall.

[johnsoneliza52]

Duchess...you are just way too cool!!!